Universal spring box



C. A. PSII-ANDER. UNIVERSAL SPRING Box. 'APPLICATION FILED MAI/M1920.

-1,ffl`O-9,7"7. Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

' Y GUM/nu:

UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PSILANDEP, 0F EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR To WILLIAM WI'IAItToN, JR. a COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

UNIVERSAL SPRING- BOX.

ment in springboxes for operating switch tongues, wherein provision is made for yieldingly maintaining the switch tongue in either one of its two opposed positions,

Vand insuring its return to such position when displaced; or wherein the switch tongue may be lyieldingly locked in any one particular position to which it may be moved through anyagency. I l

The improved switch spring box is .provided with amember, which through a simplel adjustment, may by the co-operation of4 spring arms yieldingly' lhold the switch tongue'infeither of its'two positions, or lock such tongue by such spring` pressurein either position to'which it may be moved.V

Under the' first adjustment, Y the switch tongue, set for example vto maintain an open straight track, will yield under displacement by the v`ca'r wheels entering from the curve, but will vautomatically .return to its initial position following suchdisplacement. Under the other adjustment of the member, the switch tongue when initially displaced from its set position, will be yieldingly locked in the new position until again'displaced.

A particularly importantl feature 'l of' the` present invention, is the provision of automatic means, such, for example, as a dash pot, wherein the movement of the switch tongue under vthe mechanism of the spring box, will be retarded in the final portion ofv its movement, to thereby prevent jai1 of the parts in operation, and Valso to prevent splashing of any water that may have collected in the switch tongue recess.

The-invention will be' described inthe following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan of the improved spring box in applied position, the cover plate being removed, and the spool set for the automatic return control of the switch tongue.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application led Hay 1, 1920. Serial No. 378,130.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 1s a transverse section on the line `334-301: Fig. 1.

The improved spring box comprises a box-like casing, having an open end to abut the switch body 2, and secured to the latter, as by bolts 3. The switch body has the usual switch tongue 4, working in the tongue recess 5, and having a lug 6, depending in a. channel transverse the switch bodv and in line with the box 1; u

The box proper is of less height than the thickness of the switch body, the end of the box remote from the switch body being appropriately supported, as at 7. The bottom of the box is imperforate, and provided at about its midlength withk a rounded pro` jection, forming a bearing 8, and mounted in such bearing 8, is a spool 9.

The spool constitutes the adjusting elein ent for changing the box from an ordinary` spring box to a lock box at will, and for this purpose, such spool is formed at diametrically opposite points with V- shaped depressions 10, and further formed in a diametric line at right angles to the depressions 10, with V-shaped extensions 11. The spool is rotatable in the bearing 8, to bring either the depressions 10 or extensions 11 into operative positions, and through this adjustment the type of spring box is changed as stated. A

The spool is connected with the switch tongue 4, by means of an adjustable connection comprising a pipe section 12, held in the tongue lug 6. by nuts 13, and a rod 14threaded into an axial opening '15 in the spool, lock nuts 16 completing the connection. The tongue may be readily adjusted with regard to itsy distance from the spool, both to obtain accurate operation, and to set the parts so that as an ordinary spring box, the tongue may be yieldingly held in either of its two positions, as desired.

Pillars 17 formed as a part of the box and arranged in rear of and beyond the spool, pivotally support bearing arms 19 by means of pins 18, the forward ends of whichv are formed or provided with V-shaped projections 20, adapted to more or less accurately fit the depressions 10 or co-operate with the extensions 1l of the spool. F lat leaf Y springs 21, of appropriate strength are se? cured attheir forward ends tothe box structure,sandY overlie and bear at their rear ends on the arms 19, being slidably connected to such arms at such bearing points, and exerting tension on the arms at all times.

The construction so far described, is comv plete for the tongue operating function, it being apparent that with the spool. turned to arrange the depressions l0 to receive the projections 2O of the arms,l and the connection between the spool and switch tongue adjusted for length to set the tongue for the straight track foi example, the displacementk of the tongue by a car wheel enter-fing from the curve, will move the spool against the tension of the springs 2 lthe inclined' sides of the' armv projections 2O riding? but not moving beyond the ends of the inclined sides of thespool depressions 10. `When the displacing pressure on the switch tongue is relieved, the springs 2l return the spool and with it the switchv tongue,to original position. Obviously, the connection between the switch tongue and spool may bej adjusted to arrange the set position' of the switch for the curve track, whereupon l,a train passing the switch on the lstraight track, will displace the tongue,rwith exactly the result described above, the tongue .re

turning to the curve track set position when thedisplacement pressure is released.

If, however, the spool is turnedV through ninety degrees, the spool extensions 1l are engaged by the. arm projections 20, and in the movement of thel switch tongue', .and

therefore the spool, the arm projections 20 will' override 'the spool extensions l1, that is, moved beyond the verticesv ofthe said eX-;

tensions, and thus hold the spool and thereby thegswitch tongue in' either position accordingztoits last displacement;

An important feature of the present in? vention resides inthe Vprovision of means,

y here shown asa dashspot, for retarding thej final movement ofthe switch'tongue in either' l v direction under the infiuence ofthe spring action.

The dash-,pot retarder comprises a casing 22, arranged within the box in line withf the spool 9, and having a cylindrical bore there# in as at 23. A piston 24 operates'inathe bore` or cylinder, the rod 25 of which eX- tends through a suitably packed opening in the casing 22 and is adjustably connected to' the spool, as by a threaded union 26. The

Vpiston nts the cylinder with sufficient a'c'c'u- Yracy Vto. prevent other than l a comparatively slpwfleakage aroundthe edgeof said-piston of the material or fluid aheadof it in thebore, asis usual infdash-pot construction.

Y tus Belowthe cylinder the casing isjformed. as afchamber 27, having Vopenings 28, leadingv into the cylinder at the respective ends thereof, upwardly acting ball valves 29, normally closing said openings 28. The chamber 2T communicates withVV the cylinder fat mid length of therlatter, yas at 30, so that the chamber acts totra'nsfer fluid from oneside of the piston to the other in moving past Y movement of the pistonis retarded by the oil ahead of it in the cylinder, to thus retard the completion of the switch tongue throw, asV and YVfor the purposesstated.

The valve controlled openings28 serve to` overcome the' vacuum producing tendency of the piston in moving from a particular end,`

of the cylinder, as in thecommencement of the switch tongue movement.,

The box l has a cover plate in order that the box 1 may be filled withoil, if desired and as preferred, Jforet-ard wear and' prevent rust of the parts. Y f

Having-thus descibed the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A switch tongue' spring -boir having rotatablev spool connectedfto and movable with kthe switch tongue, and spring means exteriorly bearingY on the spool, the: rotation BH3 designed i to be secured thereto in ai fluid tight manner,

of the spool changing the effect of the spring means thereon. Y

2. A spring boX having a spool connected',

to the switch tongue, said spoo`l'lia5vingv de-V pressions and extensions,'s'pring; means for cooperating with the spool, the spool being" rotatable'to cause the `spring means jtoV co-V operatewith either the depressions Vor eze tensions. Y.

3. A switch' tongue spring boxrhaving. a rotatable spool formed with depressions andV with extensions, arms Vformed to-cooperate with either 'the depressions or extensions,

and flat springs exteriorly bearing o'nv said arms, whereby throughA the-'rotation ofthe spool the arms 'may be caused to cooperate with either the depressions or extensions of. thev spool.

4;. A switch tongue spring box, including flat spring stripsyand a spool connected to the tongue and formed-'to be influenced by said spring strips, said spool being rotatable to vary theieifect of the spring-.strip influ-v ence thereon.v

iis

- r5. A switch tongueaspringr box, including!)` a spool mountedv for-rotation and'adjustably connected, v to the tongue, arms'Y pivotallyl mounted in the box and formed Yto cooperate lso with the spool, and flat springs secured in the box and bearing on the arms, said spool being formed at distinct points with nonsimilar formations, either of which may be brought into cooperation with said arms.

6. A switch tongue spring box having a spool connected to and movable with the tongue, and spring members cooperating with the spool to control the tongue, the spool being adjustable to vary the effect of the spring members thereon.

7. A switch tongue spring box having a rotatable spool connected to and movable with the tongue, and spring members to cooperate with said spool for controlling the movement of the tongue, the spool being adjustable to alter the final influence of the spring members with respect to the spool.

8. A switch tongue spring box having a spool connected to and movable with the switch tongue, and spring members to cooperate With the spool, said spool being adjustable with respect to the tongue and formed to cooperate with the spring members for distinctly different results` under different adjustments of the spool.

9. A spring box having a spool connected to andvmovable with the switch tongue, and spring members exerting an endwise influence on the spool following movement thereof the spool being adjustable with respect to the tongue to vary the effect of the end- Wise influence of the spring members on the spool at will.

10. A spring box having a spool connected to and movable with the switch tongue, said spool being adjustable with respect to the tongue, and spring members cooperating with and adapted to influence movement of the spool, said spring members continuing a predetermined spool movement under one adjustment of the spool and compelling a return spool movement under another adjustment of the spool.

In testimony whereof I affix mv signature.`

CHARLES A. PSILANDER. 

